Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1887-08-13
GUARDING THE MAILS.
Two Curious Cases Of Dishonesty Unearthed
bya Post-Offlce Inspector.

guarding OF the United States mails.
1.-The worst case | ever had" said |
,he inspector, "was in a country Office |
in Pennsylvania. Letters had been
stolen on a certain hack route. | OBJ
tanned Il broad -brmmed hat and an
nounced that had come into the neigh |
borhood to buy cattle. | sent decoy
letters and kept close watch of all the
Offices. At length had things pretty
well centercd on single Office 1t was
kept by an old German who was noted
for his honesty. His deputy was his
eightcen-ycar-old daughter, a beautiful
girl, who was engaged to be married to
a rich farmerin the neighborhood. My
suspicious were fastened upon this girl.
| waited in the ighborhood for a week
in order to make trial when the old
people were away from home. At
length they left town for the day, and
the Office was in the hands of the
daughter. ! dropped u decoy letter
into the bag just before it came into
the Office, and examining the mail after
it left the Office found that it had been
taken. waited till no one was pres
cnt except the deputy postmistress, and
then, deliberately locking the door, |
stepped behind the cases and said in a
deep, scpulchral voice:
81 want the letter which you took
from the bag to-day
"She went INTO violent fit of hys-
terics. She tore her beautiful hair and
wept copiously. | stood calmly before
her, looking as much as possible like a
Nemesis. At length she stopped short,
and, throwing her arms around my
neck, she pitcously besought me:
You won't send me to State-prison,
will you, my dear, good man. Please
don't
"'That will depend upon whether
you will tell me every thing about thi'
case, said |.
"Ill tell you every thing. | have
taken the letters, every one of them
Father is not to blame and his heart
will be broken, | couldn't get any
thing decent to wear, and | thought
had to have money so | took the let
terS. Oh, mister YOU won't send mt
to State prison, will you? | am engaged
to be married. Oh, dear-boohoo
what shall | do?'
Il told her that | would do the bes
| could, and perhaps it might be tixeC
up without her going to prison.
"Whcn the postmaster and his wife
returned they Immediately saw tha
something had happened. They at frs
believed that had injured their daugh
ter in somo way. and were disposed t
attack me- But the young lady wa
fast to explain:
This is the best man that eve
lived. He has saved me-
That was more unintelligible than
ever to the old people. But at lengtl
all was explained and understood
Under the circumstances decided no
to arrest the girl. could see no gooc
that would come of it, and much evil
| made the old gentleman promis
that she should never again touch tn
mails. 4 few months later she wa
married, and is now the mother 0
several children and is much respected
in the ncighborhood.
about the funniest case | ever haC
any thing to do with" the inspecto
continued, ''was that of Il country ed
itor."
RELATE it" said I, still interested.
"Wcll, there were some circulars pu
in my hand which read as follows:
| GREENBACKs' GREENBACKs.
| will furnish money as good as genuine 70
ten per cent Of face value Send one dolla
COR sample lot. Strictly confidential.
| JoHN ADAMS,
IL saw Immediately that the circula
was printed in a country office, and
knew there was only one office in tn
vicinity. knew this printer well, am
had not the least suspicion that he ha'
any thing to do with getting up the cir
culars. decided to call on him, as
self sure he might be able TO help oil
the case. accordingly visited TIL
printer and showing him the circular
inquired
"'Can YOU throw any light on that?
"I'll tell you how that was,' sal,
the editor, visibly confused. That WA
all u joke.
"'Plcasc explain the joke, said |.
"Well, now, let me say that no on
hates counterfciters SO badly as | dc
| simply dctest any thing of the kind
| don't think there is anybody tina
hates lying so badly rs do, either.
wouldn't lie forany thing in the world
Now. printed these circulars and de
cidcd to send them out and see if
couldn't find out some fellows VIII
would like to be counterfeiterS.
"'Well, how is it about this tictitiou
name, and what did you propose to d
when they sent you the dollars?'
"'Wcll, I'll tell You about that. A
| said before. ! hate'lying, Now, m
initials are j. A., and my first tw
names are John Adams. You see thi
was no lie. When | got the money
expected to send them some good az
vice. Now, if advice is worth any thin,
it is worth a dollar, and | intend
send them dollars worth. So yo
see it was all n joke, You can keep it q
quiet if you have mind to, can't yo,
You won't make any scandal, w
your
~ shall be obliged to lay all h
points of this joke before the distri
attorney, lie may consider it of !
: consequence and dismiss il, but l c;
do nothing less
"The editor was leading chur
member, and was considered one
the big men of the town. He co
suited lawyer, and the two decid,
not to wait for the district attorney
send for them, but to go to him il
mediatcly.
"Thc editor was indicted for defrau
ing through the mails, but finally q
} capped the penitentiary and is still pu
fishing his paper. ."--Utica (M ~ o
) sereer -.